Measuring and weighing machine.



Z. A. CLOSE.

MEASURING AND WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19.1916.

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MEASURING AND WEIGHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED-JULY 19.1916.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.v

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MEASURING AND WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19.1916- PatentedMar. 19, 1918.

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z. A. CLOS E. MEASURING AND WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19. i9l6- 1,259,836. Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

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ZACHEUS A. CLOSE, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEJV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO RICHARD M.WINFIELD, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEV] YORK.

MEASURING AND WEIGHING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

7 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ZAOHEUS A. CLosu, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, reiding at Mount Vernon, lVestchester county, New York, haveinvented a new and useful Measuring and lVeighing Machine, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for measuring and weighing materials,and in that form of the machine which I have selected to show herein, Ihave illustrated the same as a weighing machine, particularly useful forweighing dry material, such as shot, powder, sugar, tobacco, and othermaterials, although it is not limited in use thereto.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the entire apparatus with certain partsbroken away.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 22, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a relatively enlarged plan view of certain details ofconstruction.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of certain details relatively enlarged.

Fig. 6 is a frontelevation of certain other details.

Fig. 7 is a cross section on the line 77 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a plan view partly in section of certain details relativelyenlarged.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 8.

In the drawings the entire structure is mounted on a suitable standardor framework 1. 2 represents a driving shaft which may be turned fromany suitable source of power. 3 represents a pulley on said shaft whichmay receive a power driving belt, or may have a handle 4 by which themachine may be driven by hand. The drive shaft 2 extends about half wayacross the machine and is supported at its inner end on a bracket 2 (seeFig. 6). The drive shaft carries a worm 5. 2 is a counter-shaft gearedto the drive shaft 2 and extending across the frame. 2 is shaftcorresponding to the drive shaft 2 and arranged in line therewith at theother side of the machine. This shaft 2 is geared to the counter-shaft2". 6 is a worm on the shaft 2. The gearing between the shafts 2 and 2is such that one will run at a different speed from the other, that isto say, as shown, the shaft 2 will run at a faster speed than the shaft2 all for the purposes hereinafter described. Fitted underneath andaround the worms are channeled portions 78, respectively, so that anymaterial which drops into the channel portions will be moved by theworms toward the feed outlet. In this instance the feed outlet isindicated at 9, and is approximately mid way between the side walls ofthe main frame or standard. 10 is a hopper of any suitable designmounted on the upper part of the frame. 11 is what I may term adistributing roll by which supply to the feed worms may be controlledeither partially or entirely. This distributing roll is located betweenthe hopper 10 and the worms 5-6. 12-13 (Fig. 2) are curved side plateswhich connect the hopper 10 with the channels 78, respectively, whichside plates conform to the sides of the roll 11. The roll 11 may haveremovable blocks 14: provided in any desired number and of varying size.lVhen any of these blocks are removed, they leave corresponding pockets,whereby any material placed in the hopper 10 may enter said pockets andas the roll 11 revolves will be transferred from the upper side of theroll the lower, or worm-feed, side. By this means, predeterminedquantities of the material to be weighed may be delivered from thesupply hopper to the feed worms. The roll 11 may be driven in anydesired way s by gears or sprockets. In the form shown the drive iseffected by means of a sprocket 15 connecting the driving shaft 2 withthe arbor of the roll 11. Directly below the discharge outlet 9 is afunnel 16 which may have mounted therein a suitable deflector 17 todistribute the material. The lower end of the funnel 16 leads down to achamber 18 in which the material is weighed which preferably is providedwith a movable wall 2), which may be adjusted by a screw 20 to vary theeffective area thereof, for the purpose hereinafter described.

Between the hopper 16 and the measuring chamber 18 is a cut-off, orvalve mechanism, preferably constructed as follows: By referring toFigs. 3 and l, I have shown the cut-off mechanism to comprise two plates2122, arranged parallel to each other and movable to and fro. In theconstruction shown, the plates 2122 have, respec tively, oblique slots23-23, 24-21. Passing through these slots, respectively, are fixed pins25-25 and 26 26. 2727, and QS QS are two sets of toggle links connectedto the opposite ends of the plates 212 2 29 is an operating rodconnected to the oint of one set of toggles. This operating rod hasconnected to it, a spring 30 mounted in a. su table housing andpreferably :ljustable 1n tension, as by an adjusting nut 31 mounted on ascrew connection 32. By screwing the nut 31 to and fro, the pullingtension of the spring 30 may be varied. 33 is a lever fulcrumed at andconnected at one end to the rod 29 so that the rod may be pushedforwardly in a direction to straighten out the toggles and thereby morethe cutoff 53l--22 a1 art as shown in solid lines In this position therod is caught y operates on a toothec rack 36 on said rod, to hold.atter advanced in said solid line position. is an eleetro-magnet, thearr a ure 37 o w iich is connected to the t when said mag t is entrigger35 so L113. a srgized, the trigger 35 will releas d from the rackwhereupon the spring 30 will pull back on the rod 29 and quickly drawthe cutoff plates 122 together to cut off the passage from the funnel 16to the chamber 18. The cut-off position of the plates is indicated indotted lines, Fig. 3. 38 represents a battery. 39 (Fig. 4)conventionally represents the beam of a scale which carries a m vablecontact point L0 arranged to close the circuit at ll when the scale isbalanced and thereby energize the magnet M to release the trigger Whenthe load on the scale is insuflicient to balance the same, the electriccircuit is open and the trigger 35 will, therefore, stand in the ackengaging position.

The measuring chamber 18 is supported wholly by the scales aforesaid,and is steadied on the platform thereof by suitable supports or bracesl-242. The bottom of the measuring chamber is indicated at and ispivoted to the back wall of said chamber. ll is a suitable counterweightwhich serves to hold the bottom in the closed position, shown in solidlines F 2, the weight being sufficient to hold the bottom closed whenthe measuring chamber is full. &5 represents a handle at the front ofthe movable bottom by which the bottom 43 may be swung down or opened byhand and to allow the contents of the measuring chamber to flow out. 46is a chute through which the discharging material may pass into asuitable bag or re ceptacle placed underneath the outlet of the chutel6. The scale 39 is, of course, so adjusted as to be balanced when thechamber 18 and the associated parts are in place. If it is desired toweigh, say 8 02s., suitable weights, indicated at 47, would be appliedto the back of the scale so that it would re quire, the introduction of8 ozs, of mates? 1.

into the chamber 18 to balance the scale against the weights and closethe circuit to release the trigger Chambers of different sizes may beapplied to the scales, if desired and the scales are preferably mountedon an adjustable platform L8 adjustable in any suitable manner as by arack and pinion mechanism lf) 50 controllable by a hand-wheel 51. 52 isa vibratory platform, upon which the bag or container which is toreceive the measured material may repose while being filled. When thisplatform 52 vibrates it tends to agitate the material fed into the bagand cause it to se tle solidly down into the container. The \iuiratoryliable 52may be operated in any (ll sired manner, for example I means ofa cam block 53 on a shaft 5ld1 l by belt 55 from the driving shaft .2.As the cam block rotates it strikes against a pin or shoulder on theundersi le of the table can u to ubrate for the purpose aforesaid,

The apparatus as to the 'ig of \i'lre or cut-off i'i'ieehanisni and theope g o. the bottom of the chamber 18, may be either automatically ormanually controlhrd. When manually controlled, it may be operatedthrough a foot treaille 56 which may be connected by a link 57 to an armwhich may be clamped upon shaft 59.

This shaft carries an arm 60, which when the shaft is turned swings fromthe solid line position shown in Fig. 4- to the dotted line position forthe purpose of setting the rod and opening the cut off plates 2l-22 Thisshaft 59 also carries a cam 61 which is arranged behind a rearwardlyextending arm 62 on the bottom 43 of the chamber 18 (see Fig. 9). lVhenthe shaft 59 revolves the cam will automatically open the bottom of saidchamber. The arm 60 and cam 61, are, of course, adjusted augularly onthe shaft 59 so that they will respectively operate to open the cut-offmechanism and to open the bottom of said chan'iber at the proper timesrespectively, d to that end I provide any suitable form of adjustingmeans such as the clamping screws shown. l Vheu these operations are beeffected automatically. the shaft may be connected by a suitable chainleading over the sprockets (53-4542, so that the shaft 59 will be drivenfrom the source of power. it such a time,

f course, the arn'i should be loosened on the shaft 59 so that the shaftmay turn freely therein. lVhen it is desired to manually control theopening of the cut-off r'echanism, and the chamber 18. the chain for thesprockets fil h-6 f should be removed. the rm 58 should be tightened onthe shaft 59 and the shaft should be so positioned that pressure on thefoot treadle 56 will cause the arm 60 and the cam 61 to engage therespective cooperating parts at the proper time and for the aforesaidpurpose. 65 is a deflecting partition arranged about midway of thedistributing roll which tends to divide the feeding hopper so that thematerial of one end of the hopper will be fed to one end of thedistributing roll, and the material in the other end will be fed to theother end of the distributing roll. Again, when only one end of thedistributing roll is used, the material to be weighed would, of course,be placed in only one end of the hop per 10. I desire to emphasize thefact that I have simply shown my weighing machine in one preferred andsimple form, and that I apprehend that a wide variety of changes may bemade therein without departing from the spirit and scope of thisinvention.

[a operation: In setting the apparatus I preferably remove from the lefthand end of the distributing roll 11, blocks which provide spaces largeenough to receive the major part of the material to be measured in oneoperation. From the right hand end of the roll, I remove smaller blocks,leaving smaller cavities which are to supply the bal ance of thematerial desired for a single roll, The larger openings in the roll areprefeu ably arranged in advance of the smaller openings. The effect ofthis is as follows: The material to be measured fills the distributingroll pockets which in due course distributes the material. first t0 theworm 5 which has the faster movement and which causes the rapid deliveryof the material to the chamber 18 causing the latter to quickly fill upto nearly the desired extent. [he last part of the load is deliveredmore slowly by the slower moving worm 6 so that the effect of gravitywill not have any influence on the operation of the scales. The size ofthe chamber 1.8 should be such that when the desired load has beenfilled into said chamber 18 its level will approximately reach the topthereof, that is to say, will reach nearly up to the underside of thecut-off blades 2122. Hence, when these blades operate to cutoff therewill be comparatively no material in suspension in the air below thesame which would tend to over-balance the scales and render inaccuratemeasurement. This, of course, is very material in the weighing ofrelatively high priced merchandise, such as tobacco, for example,because a comparatively slight variation multiplied many times wouldrepresent a very substantial loss which is guarded against and preventedby my improved construction.

The deflector 17 has the effect of interrupting the material in itsdescent so that it will not enter the chamber 18 too speedily, sincewith heavy materials this might tend to prematurely ver-balance thescale and operate the cut-off. The deflector shown is merelyillustrative of any deflecting means that I may desire to employ. Infact, it should be understood that the drawings are merely illustrativeof a preferred form of construction, and that many changes andmodifications may be made in the various parts shown.

It will be understood that in some cases only one end of thedistributing roll may be employed, that is to say, either the fastfeeding end or the slow feeding end and that other equally obviouschanges may be made. 69 is an adjustable compensating weight on the sideof the scales, which is adjustable for slight variations. 7071 aremanually operable slide valves for varying the size of the dischargepassage 9.

l Vhat I claim is:

1. In a weighing machine, a weighing device, a weighing chamber havingan adjustable side member cooperating therewith and having a positivelyactuated discharge valve at its bottom and a receiving opening at itstop, means for conducting material to be weighed into said opening, andan automatic cut-off mechanism comprising a plurality of flat slidablemovable members for said opening, with means for controlling saidcut-off mechanism by the position of said weighing device.

2. In a weighing machine, a weighing deice, a weighing chamber having anadjustable side member cooperating therewith and having a positivelyactuated discharge valve at its bottom and a receiving opening at itstop, means for conducting material to be weighed into said opening, andan auton'iatic cut-elf mechanism comprising a plurality of movablemembers for said opening, with means for controlling said cut-oilmechanism by the position of said weighing device, and feeding mechanismcomprising two worms simultaneously actuated for feeding the first partof the material to be weighed into the weighing cham bar at no speed,and the last part of the material into said chamber at a slower speed.

In a weighing machine, a weighing device, a weighing chamber having anad justable side member coeperating therewith and. having a positivelyactuated discharge valve at its bottom and a receiving opening at itstop, means for conducting material to be weighed into said opening, andan automatic cut-elf mechanism comprising a plu ality of movable membersfor said open ing, with means for controlling said outoff mechanism bythe position of said weighing device, and feeding mechanism for feedingthe first part of the material to be wei hed into the weighing chamberat one speed, and the last part of the material into said chamber at aslower speed, a distributing and regulating means leading to feedingmechanism, con'iprising a roll arranged between two partitions andhaving dilferent sized receiving pockets therein In a weighing machine,a weighing device, a weighing chamber having an adjustable side membercooperating therewith and having a positively actuated discharge valveits bottom and a receiving opening at its top, means for conductingmaterial to be weighed into said opening, and an automatic cut-otlmechanism comprising a plurality of movable members for said opening,with means for controllin said cut-0ft mechanism by the position saidweighing device, and a vibratory container support arranged adjacent tothe discharge end of said weighing ch a mber.

5. in a weighing machine, a weighing device, a weighing chamber havingan adjustable side member cooperating therewith and having a POSli velyactuated disvalve at its bottom and a receiving at its top, means forconducting to be weighed into said opening, and an automatic cut otfmechanism comprising a plurality ot movable members for said. opening,with. mean for controlling said cut-on mechanism by the position of saidweighing device, and means for autoiiuz'atically opening the dischargopening at the bottom of the weighing chamber following the closing ofthe cut-off mechanism.

6. In a weighing machine, a weighing device, a wei hing chamber havingan adjustable side member cooperating therewith and having a positivelyactuated discharge valve at its bottom and a receiv' 1g opening at itstop, means for conducting material to be weighed into said opening, andan automatic cut-0d" mechanism comprising a plurality of movable membersfor said opening, with means for controlling said cut-oil mechanism bythe position of said weighing device and a worm feed mechanismcompristwo worms simultaneously actuated for supplying materialgradually to said weiglr ing chamber.

7. In a weighing machine, a weighing device, a weighing chamber havingan adjustable side member cooperating therewith and having a positivelyactuated discharge valve at its bottom and a receiving opening at itstop, means for conducting material to be weighed into said opening, andan automatic cut-oil mechanism comprising a plurality of movable membersfor said opening, with means for controlling said cut-0H" mechanism bythe position or said weighing device, said cut-0t}? mechanism includinga spring, a rod having a notch therein, a trigger for engaging saidnotch when said cutoff is open and the spring under tension, and meansfor releasing said trigger controllable by the operation of the weighingdevice.

8. In a weighing machine, a weighing device, a weighing chamber havingan adjustable side member cooperating therewith and having a positivelyactuated discharge valve at its bottom and a receiving opening at itstop, means for conducting material to be weighed into said opening, andan automatic cut-oil" mechanism comprising a plurality oil movablemembers for said open ing, with means for controlling said cut oilmechanism by the position oi said weighing device, said cut-offmechanism including a spring, a rod having a notch therein, a triggerfor engaging said notch when said cuboid is open and the spring undertension, and means for releasing said trigger controllable by theoperation of the weighing device, whereby said receiving opening isclosed by a single relatively quick movement of said rod, and includingan electro-- magnet, a circuit "for said magnet, and a circuit closeroperable by said weighing device.

9. In a weighing machine, a weighing device, a weighing chamber havingan adjustable side member cooperating therewith and having a positivelyactuated discharge valve at its bottom and a receiving opening at itstop, means for conducting material to be weighed into said opening, andan automatic cut-oft mechanism comprising a plurality of movable membersfor said openii'ig, with means for controlling said cut-oil mechanism bythe position of said weighing device, said weighing chamber having meansindependent of the bottom for varying the internal capacity thereof.

10. In a weighing machine, a weighing device, a weighing chamber havingan adjustable side member cooperating therewith and having a positivelyactuated discharge valve at its bottom and a receiving opening at itstop, a cut-oil mechanism comprising a plurality of flat slidable movablemem bers close to the receiving opening with means for operating thesame to close said opening when said weighing chamber is filled.

11. In a weighing machine, a weighing device, a weighing chamber havingan adjustable side member cotiperating therewith and having a positivelyactuated discharge valve at its bottom and a receiving opening at itstop, a cut-off mechanism comprising a plurality of movable members closeto the receiving opening with means for operating the same to close saidopening when said weighing chamber is filled, said means ineludingweighing device controllable as to balance by the loaded weighingchamber.

12. In a weighing machine, a weighing device. a weighing chamber havingan ad justable side member cooperating therewith and having a positivelyactuated discharge valve at its bottom and a receiving opening its top,a cut-off mechanism comprising a plurality of movable members close tothe receiving opening with means "for operating the same to close saidopening when. said Weighing chamber is filled, said means including aweighing device controllable as to balance by the loaded weighingchamber, and also including a, spring connected with said cut-off deviceto close the same at the desired moment.

13. In a weighing machine, a weighing device, a weighing chamberhaving'an adjustable side member cotiperating therewith and having apositively actuated discharge valve at its bottom and a receivingopening at its top, a cut-ofi mechanism comprising a plurality ofmovable members close to the receiving opening with means for operatingthe same to close said opening when said weighing chamber is filled,said means including a weighing device controllable as to balance by theloaded weighing chamber, and also including a spring connected with saidcut-oft device to close the same a; the desired moment, and means forautomatically opening said cut-off device after the contents of saidmeasuring chamber has been discharged.

14. In a weighing machine, a weighing device, a weighing Chamber havingan adjustable side member, means for feeding material to be weighed intosaid weighing chamber, a positively actuated valved discharge outlet forsaid weighing chamber, a cut-off comprising a plurality of movablemembers for said weighing chamber, a weighing device cotiperating withsaid measuring chamber, and means controllable by the position of theweighing device for operating said cut-off to cut-off the feed to saidweighing chamber and for operating said valved discharge outlet topermit the material in said chamber to be discharged therefrom.

15. In a weighing machine, a supply receptacle, a feeding device, arotating distributing and regulating device between said supplyreceptacle and feeding device, having pockets therein adapted to bearranged for delivering intermittently separate portions of material, aweighing device, a measuring chamber coope 'ating therewith, and a cutoff mechanism therefor.

16. In a weighing machine, a supply receptacle, a feeding device, adistributing and regulating device, comprising a roll partially covered,having pockets therein adapted to be arranged in various relationswhereby portions of material of pre-determined bulks are intermittentlyseparated and distributed simultaneously to said feeding device, aweighing device, a measuring c l1a1nber cooperating therewith, anelectrically controlled automatic cut off mechanism.

17. In combination, a supply receptacle, a distributing and regulatingdevice, comprising a roll partially covered, having pockets thereinadapted to be arranged 1n various relations, a feeding device, means formaintaining material fed to distributing device into a plurality ofindependent portions, said means including a partition leading to saiddistributing and regulating device, a weighing device and a chamber 00-operating therewith.

18. In combination, a supply receptacle, a distributing and regulatingdevice, comprising a roll partially covered, having pockets thereinadapted to be arranged in various relations, a feeding device, means forfeeding material to distributing device in a plurality of independentportions, said means including a partition leading to said distributingand regulating device, a weigh ing device and a measuring chamber co-perating therewith, a cut off mechanism between said distributin rolland measurmg chamber.

19. In a weighing machine, a supply receptacle, a feeding device, adistributing and regulating device, rotatably mounted in fixed supportscomprising a roll,- partially covered by an adjacent wall portion,having pockets therein and adapted to be arranged in various relationswhereby independent portions of material of predeten mined buik areseparated and distributed successively to a feeding device, said portions including a major portion of approximately the desired quantityand a smaller supplementary portion, said feeding device comprisingmembers, adapted to deliver the predetermined portions of materialsuccessively to a common chamber, a weighing device, a measuring chambercooperating therewith and an electrically controlled automatic cut oilmechanism between said distributing device and measuring chamber.

20. In combination, a supply receptacle, a distributing and regulatingdevice, comprising a roller having independently movable portions toform pockets of different capacity, a feeding device adapted tosuccessively deliver separated portions of material to a chamber, aweighing device, a chamber cotiperating therewith and a cut offmechanism near the upper part of said chamber.

21. In a weighing machine, in combination a supply receptacle, arotating distributing and regulating device having adjustable portionsadapted to form receiving pockets to simultaneously separate a pluralityof portions of material of different bulk, a feeding device, comprisinga plurality of separate members, each to receive a portion of theseparated material from said distributing device, a discharge openingfor said feeding devices, a weighing device, a chamber supported therebyand cut off mechanism between said feeding device and said chamber.

22. In a weighing machine, in combination, a supply receptacle, afeeding device comprising two movable members adapted to move materialin opposite directions to acommon discharge opening therein to besuccessively delivered, a distributing and regulating roll havingremovable portions therein adapted to form pockets therein wherebyportions of material may be separated simultaneously or successively,and delivered to different parts of said feeding device, a weighingdevice, a chamber carried thereby and a cut oil mechanism between saidfeeding device and said chamber.

23. In a weighing machine, in combination, a supply receptacle, afeeding device, comprising movable members adapted to move material to achute, a distributing and regulating roll having ren'iovable portionstherein, adapted to form pockets in various relations wherebyintermittently portions of material. may separated successively orsimultaneously and delivered to said feeding device, a weighing device,a chamber carried thereby, cut off mechanism and a partition memberleading to said distributing and regulatin device whereby material maybe separated into a number of streams.

24. A distributing and regulating device, comprising a rotating memberprovided with different sized pockets therein, confining membersadjacent said roll, said roll being rotatably supported therebetween.

25. In combination, a distributing and regulating device, comprising aroll, having adjustable pockets therein, adapted to separate portions ofmaterial, position members partly surrounding and adjacent to said roll,a Weighing chamber, and means to convey material from said distributingand regulating device to said chamber.

26. In combination, a supply receptacle,

a distributing and regulating mechanism comprising means arranged toeither succesf'vely or sin'iultaneously separate a plu ity of separateportions of material, and a receiving receptacle, means for guiding saidseparated portions of material to said receptacle.

L7. In combination, a supply receptacle, a feeding means, a distributingand regulating device between said supply receptacle and feeding means,having pockets adapted to be arrai'iged in various relations, wherebysenarate portions of material may be separated either simultaneously orsuccessively and delivered to different parts of said. feeding means,and a receiving receptacle to rcceive material from said feeding means.

28. in combii'iation, a supply receptacle, a feeding means, receivingreceptacle, a cutoff mechanism between said feeding means and receivingreceptacle, and a distributing and regulating device having adjustablemeans to separate independent portions of material in any desiredsequence, said distributing and regulating device being arranged betweensaid supply receptacle and feeding'means, whereby said distributing andregulating device acts as a supplementary cut-off mechanism.

29. In combination, a supply receptacle, a feeding means, a receivingreceptacle, cutoil mechanism between said feeding means and saidreceiving receptacle, and a distributing and regulating device arrangedbetween said supply receptacle and feeding means to intermittentlyseparate independent portions of material, whereby said distributing andregulating device acts as a supplen cntary cut-elf member.

ZACHEUS A. CLOSE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressingthe Commissioner of irritants,

Washington, D. C.

